Budapest
by goddessinsepia
Summary: Stephanie thought the years had changed Robbie Rotten, as they had changed her. When Robbie temporarily shows his old stripes, it's going to take a group effort and a grand gesture to put things right again.


**Budapest**

Over the years, LazyTown had managed to remain irritatingly the same, and also change completely. At no other time was that dichotomy more readily apparent to Robbie Rotten than on Friday nights. Several new crops of small, annoying children now populated LazyTown, and the original crop of annoying children were now adults – still annoying, but for different reasons. They were annoying in that their conversations were somehow relatable now, about topics that he could understand, even be interested in. They were annoying in that they had seen more of the world, and were no longer so easy to deceive. And they were even more annoying in that age had not stopped their relentless pursuit to _include_ him.

"You could have a beer with us, Robbie." Pixel asked the moment he walked into the corner pub, proving Robbie's point precisely. Pixel was accompanied by his usual gang of familiars, except for Stingy who owned the pub and was therefore already there. Stingy had opened the pub almost immediately upon his return to LazyTown after getting his hospitality management degree. This was also about the time that – to the surprise of _literally absolutely no one_ – Stingy had come out of the closet.

Pixel had proven to be a bit of a computer prodigy and had graduated from M.I.T. at the age of 16. He had come back to LazyTown to run his extremely successful software company out of his childhood home. His profits had allowed him to retire his parents to a comfortable life in Florida. Supposedly Pixel had a girlfriend, somewhere on the internet, but Robbie had a cynical theory that Pixel was using his computer prowess to _build_ himself a girlfriend.

Ziggy and Trixie had married last year, in a wedding that Robbie Rotten had been inexplicably invited to attend. The couple was happy, the wedding joyful, but Robbie Rotten had been in misery – sitting in a pew crushed between Sportacus and Mayor Meanswell, and trying very hard to ignore Stephanie in the elegant dark purple bridesmaid dress that Trixie had chosen.

Stephanie. She had left LazyTown for college and had returned transformed. An adult. _A woman_ , he thought and instantly cursed himself for it. Gone were the bright pink dresses and sneakers, replaced with dark denim, blouses in a rainbow of flattering colors, and heels. Her hair was still unavoidably pink, but longer now. Robbie spent a lot of time ignoring the way it framed her face. For five years now, she had taught dance, aerobics and yoga classes out of her small cottage, and rumor around town was that she wanted to open her own studio, but lacked the funds. Stephanie.

Robbie snorted at Pixel in response. They all laughed as they walked by. "We're wearing you down, Robbie! I know it," said Ziggy. Stephanie said nothing, merely looked over her shoulder at him and smiled. A soft pink curl brushed her cheek as she walked, and Robbie clenched his fists. She sidled up to the bar, where Stingy was meticulously shining and counting glassware. She said something that Robbie couldn't hear, but the jukebox kicked on a moment later.

Robbie muttered something approaching an obscenity and focused on finishing his meal and leaving. He spent his Friday nights at Stingy's place as there were no longer any schemes to plan for, no disguises to make. He still had his inventions to take up most of his time, but villainy was no longer as all-consuming as it once was. Also, Stingy's menu featured a chocolate and peanut butter cake that he really, really liked.

His plates had been cleared and his bill settled (he was a villain, not a thief, and _thank you_ to appreciate the distinction), when he heard her approach, the clicking of her heels on the floor. He also felt it, in the warmth of her body heat. He smelled it, in a cloud of Dior perfume. He most definitely saw it, in pair of neutral colored heels that could only be described as _nude._ And he supposed he could have tasted it, if he wanted to be pedantic and get his tongue ripped out at the same time.

"Robbie Rotten," she said. "How about a dance?"

Robbie stared up at her from his seat, looking pointedly at her face and not at her somewhat suggestive black blouse. Every Friday, every single Friday night she did this. It was enough to make him give up chocolate and peanut butter cake, but not quite. And although she was never the slightest bit aggressive, he couldn't help but feel attacked. What was she going on about? Her and her little gang of minions? And despite all this, every week he could just punch himself in the face when he said –

"No."

And just like every week, she quirked her face in that strange way: one part a total lack of surprise and the other part something unidentifiable. She turned slightly, as if she were going to wink at him, but thought better of it. "Have a good night, Robbie." Stephanie rejoined her friends at their table near the bar, taking a deep sip of whatever tall dark beverage they had acquired for her.

"Stupid, stupid, stupid." Robbie banged his head against the tabletop until his vision blurred. When it cleared, Robbie looked up to see Stephanie leaning back in her chair, one foot propped up on the edge of the table. The leg of her jeans had ridden up slightly to reveal the curve of her ankle. Robbie moaned.

Well, if he was going to hell, he might as well get well and truly burned while he was at it.

oOo

"Still no luck, Steph?" Trixie asked incredulously as Stephanie sat back down at the table. "Is the man made of stone?"

"Yeah, a _part_ of him is," Ziggy joked, accepting a high five from Pixel. Stingy walked by with a load of fresh linens, and snorted. "Juvenile."

Stephanie waved them all off. She took a long drink from her glass and propped her foot on the edge of the table. "I'm not concerned about it, guys."

"Seriously, Steph?" Trixie snorted. "The guy has been giving you 'come do me' eyes for at least six months now, but gives you the brush off at every turn. That's got to be pretty frustrating."

Stephanie shrugged. "Robbie's a pretty weird guy. Maybe his signals aren't like everyone else's. Maybe his 'come do me' eyes are actually his 'leave me alone' eyes."

"Or his 'I have to go to the bathroom' eyes," suggested Ziggy.

"Or his 'my pants are too tight' eyes," from Stingy.

Stephanie laughed so hard that she felt in her chest. "Either way, I'm letting it go. He's obviously not into it, and you can only get pushed away so many time before you start feeling dinged."

Stephanie passed a pleasant hour, laughing with her friends and helping Stingy roll silverware into napkins. When suddenly, the jukebox thumped, screeched and the song changed over. The new tempo was slow, and Stephanie felt herself being jabbed in the shoulder repeatedly. She looked up, and found Robbie Rotten hovering near her. He looked uncomfortable, contorting his face and chewing on his lip. Finally, he thrust his hand at her so quickly and forcefully that he nearly smacked her in the face.

"Dance?"

It was the least flattering invitation that Stephanie had ever received. However, as she took in the tightness of Robbie's clenched jaw and the trembling of his arm as he held it out to her, she decided it was probably the most sincere.

"All right," she said hesitantly and gently took his hand. Robbie led them out onto the dance floor, but that's where all his bravado left him. Finding herself in an awkward entanglement of arms and legs, it became readily apparent to Stephanie that Robbie didn't have the slightest idea what he was doing.

Growing quickly frustrated, Robbie pushed away from her and snarled. "Forget it. This was a stupid –"

"Hold on," she said quietly and grabbed his arm, pulling him back to her. "Not so fast." She quickly aligned their bodies and placed his hands on her hips. Wrapping her arms around his neck, she said, "I don't mind leading sometimes."

Robbie made a small humming sound and fell into the swaying rhythm that Stephanie had set. She had known immediately that all complicated moves were out, but after a minute or two, Robbie seemed brave enough to slide one of his hands off her hip and grasp her hand in his. Stephanie leaned her head against his chest and was shocked to hear the rapid thunder of his heart.

Stephanie looked up and saw that Robbie was examining her closely. He frowned, "I suppose you were bound to find out eventually." Was it Stephanie's imagination that he seemed to hold her a little tighter as she laid her head back down on his chest? Find out what exactly? That he couldn't control the beating of his heart around her and – _oh!_

When the song ended, Robbie tried to pull away but instead Stephanie threaded her fingers through his and whispered, "Come with me." He allowed her to pull him out of the pub, stumbling behind her as they navigated the streets together, as surely as if she had him on a leash. It wasn't until they were halfway across town square that Robbie finally seemed to come back to himself and pulled her to a stop.

"Stephanie," he said as she turned to look at him. "What are we doing?"

Stephanie closed the space between them with one move, wrapping an arm behind his neck and pulling his mouth down to hers. She kissed him until he relaxed, his body bending to meet her. She kissed him deeply, until his lips were warm and pliant underneath hers. She kissed him until he seemed to vibrate with the intensity of it, and he had to pull away for air.

"OK," he gasped. "Let's do more of that."

They fairly slammed through the front door of her house, and Stephanie was merely glad that she had the presence of mind to shut the door behind her. Robbie was attacking her mouth at every opportunity – his kisses were artless, but not without a certain charming enthusiasm – and Stephanie had to focus all her attention on navigating them down the hall and into her bedroom.

She fell onto her bed, pulling him down on top of her. She gasped in pleasure, shivering at feeling him hard beneath his thin trousers as he pressed himself between her thighs. She tried to reach for him, but Robbie had obviously interpreted her reaction for something else, some negative, and had pulled away.

"I don't – I don't – I mean, I've never –" Robbie flushed a deep crimson that matched the stripe on his trousers. Stephanie found his embarrassment endearing, but didn't want to leave him confused and unsatisfied. Wrapping her legs around his waist and grabbing him with her knees, she flipped their positions so quickly that Robbie was momentarily stunned. From her new position above him, Stephanie's hair fell enticingly in her face as she leaned down and kissed him gently on the mouth. "It's all right, Robbie. I told you I don't mind leading sometimes."

Later, Stephanie fell asleep to Robbie tracing intricate patterns on her back with his fingertips. He whispered, "Stephanie Meanswell, I have waited so long for you. I love you. I do, I do…"

oOo

When Stephanie woke up, Robbie Rotten was gone.

She had known he was gone before she even opened her eyes. Nevertheless, she dressed and made a cursory search of her house for him. Finding no sign, she sat heavily on her sofa and texted Trixie. She asked her to assemble the troops, as it were, and meet at her house. When Trixie asked for details, Stephanie provided a general overview, but enough information to warrant the reaction she received when she opened her front door to her friends twenty minutes later.

"That _dick_ ," Ziggy spat as he stepped over her threshold.

"Hello to you too," Stephanie couldn't help but smile.

"Seriously, Steph," Pixel added. "What an asshole."

"I don't know, guys." Stephanie sat back down on her sofa, curling her legs under. "I'm mostly angry at myself. I think this might have been my fault."

"Excuse me!" Stingy sat down next to her and waved his finger in her face. "Please tell me that you are not falling for that utter garbage."

"No, that's not what I mean and put that finger away." She pushed his hand out of her face. "Robbie Rotten has never pretended to be anything except deceitful. He never once gave any indication that he had changed. That was all me, and what I thought I saw in him. I thought, the years have changed me, so why not him? How can I get mad at him when he only behaved as he's always behaved? Robbie Rotten tricked me. Well, big surprise – that's what he does! He may have said all the right things last night, but that's no different than when he put on a wig or a giant coat. Shame on me for falling for it. I have enough years of experience with him that I should have known better."

"What do you mean he 'said all the right things last night'? You two barely spoke before you ran out of the bar," asked Trixie.

"Gross," said Ziggy.

Stephanie rubbed her eyes with the palms of her hands. She was going have to work very hard to forget the sweet affection that Robbie had shown her as they had lain together in the dark of her bedroom. "Look, can I just spare you the details and trust me that he was very, very convincing?"

" _Gross_ ," Ziggy adamantly repeated.

"Anyway," Pixel interrupted. "You're wrong, Steph, in that this is somehow the same as his other tricks. This is a deep emotional manipulation. It's not like when he was constantly, half-heartedly trying to get our playground shutdown when we were kids. He took advantage of your most personal feelings of trust and vulnerability."

Stephanie stared at Pixel. "Thanks, Pixel. That makes it so much worse."

Pixel blushed. "Sorry. And for that matter, if Robbie fooled you into thinking that he had changed, then he's fooled half the town. He's been a different person for _years –_ mellower, less conniving. If this is a Robbie Rotten long con, than we've all fallen for it. Stephanie, you can't be blamed for expecting Robbie Rotten the Mere Villain and instead becoming the victim of Robbie Rotten the Giant, Unrepentant Jackass."

Stephanie leaned back against her sofa and sighed. She was so tired. "I'm sorry, guys. I know you just got here, but I think I just need to take a shower – for like, a year – and then take a nap or something. You know?"

"No worries, Steph," Trixie said.

"Yeah, I'll make you a sandwich and leave it in the fridge. You eat it, OK?" said Stingy. Stephanie murmured non-committedly before leaving the room.

The four remaining friends stared at each other. "Do you think we can find him?" asked Ziggy.

"Maybe," said Trixie. "But I wouldn't even know where to begin looking."

"I have a few ideas," said Pixel. "And when we find Robbie Rotten, let's nail him to the wall."

oOo

Robbie sat on the LazyTown dock and stared out into the water. He watched a fish splash pleasantly a few dozen feet off-shore. Suddenly, a seagull dove with a screeching cry, snatching the fish and carrying it off to be devoured. Robbie hung his head and sighed.

He had left the warmth of Stephanie's embrace and snuck out of her home that morning for so many reasons. To save her the task of trying to be gentle with his feelings as she let him down. To spare himself the look of horror on her face when she woke up and realized what and who she done the night before. Because she would eventually tire of him. Because she could do better. Because his machinations would eventually cause anything between them to fail. Because now that he knew her, Robbie would probably die when it ended. No matter the list of reasons that ran through his head like a song on repeat, they all added up to Robbie Rotten being a pathetic, sniveling _coward._ Oscar Wilde was so wrong, he thought. The worst thing isn't getting what you want. It's having to give it up afterwards.

The sound of footsteps thundering down the dock brought him back to himself, but he didn't even look up. "Oh good," he muttered. "Here comes the cavalry."

"Robbie Rotten," Pixel shouted. "I'm going to break your face." Pixel stormed up to Robbie and without any additional prologue, slammed his fist into Robbie's jaw. The punch laid Robbie flat on his back on the docks. He didn't move.

"Get up," Pixel bellowed. "Get up and fight like a man, you waste of life." When Robbie refused to respond, Pixel grabbed him by the vest and had pulled his fist back again. Suddenly there was high pitched sound as Sportacus swooped in and quickly separated them, pulling Pixel away from Robbie who landed back on the dock.

"Hey! What is going on here?" Sportacus asked incredulously, looking from Robbie to Pixel and back again.

"Tell him what you did, Robbie!" Ziggy snarled, his nostrils flaring. "Tell him what you did to Stephanie!"

Sportacus's eyes narrowed. "What happened to Stephanie? Is she all right?"

"No," Trixie snapped. "Her heart is hurt."

Robbie moaned in agony at her words. "I did the right thing! We all know I did the right thing."

"Except for Stephanie," said Stingy. "She _cares_ about you, although who knows why."

Robbie threw his hands over his ears. "Please stop, I beg you."

"Stephanie chose you, you _worm_." It was Ziggy's turn to spew vitriol. "And you decided that she wasn't _worth your time_."

"That's not true! She'd be better off with someone like the bouncing blue elf!" Robbie snapped.

"All right, that's enough," Sportacus marched up to Robbie and pulled him to his feet by his elbow. "First of all, Stephanie makes her own decisions. You don't get to take her choices away from her, no matter how well-intentioned or noble you think you're being. Secondly, just to set the record straight here, I don't like women." He paused. "You know, _that_ way."

Four heads snapped in unison to gape at Sportacus at this revelation, except for Stingy who merely smiled very slowly and lifted a single finger in Sportacus's direction. "Mine!" For his part, Sportacus looked equal parts disturbed and intrigued before turning back to Robbie.

"You should have been counting your lucky stars, Robbie Rotten. You should have considered Stephanie a gift and started making plans to prove that you deserved her. Instead, you undermined the choices she made for herself and cast her aside as if she were something to be used up. I knew you were a foolish man, Robbie Rotten, but if this is truly the kind of fool you are, you need more help than I can give you."

It was as if all the lights came on in the dark room of Robbie's mind and all he could see was Stephanie. She stood alone and looked at him with a mixture of disappointment and sadness. She was turning away from him. "Good-bye, Robbie Rotten."

Robbie groaned and clutched his head. "What have I done? I'm an idiot!"

"Yes, you are," said Pixel.

"I'm a moron!"

"Couldn't agree more," said Stingy.

"I'm the biggest fool that's ever lived!"

"Well said," said Ziggy.

"What am I going to do?"

"Punch yourself in the face?" Trixie suggested, helpfully.

Instead, Robbie Rotten got up and began to run.

Robbie Rotten hadn't run much in his life. Full stop. But he ran today. He ran from the docks on one end of LazyTown to Stephanie's house on the other. He ran until he thought his lungs might collapse and his heart might explode, but he ran. Once Stephanie's house was in sight, he skidded to a dead stop, gasping for breath.

"What's the problem?" Startled, Robbie turned to find that everyone had followed him up from the docks. They didn't even look winded. They had probably been able to keep up with him via a brisk walk.

"I don't know what I'm going to say to her," he wheezed. "Should I bring her something? Some flowers?"

"Flowers ain't gonna fix this, Chinzilla," Trixie snapped.

Sportacus gave her a stern look. "Robbie, in this case, it might be best to just be honest."

Robbie straightened, took a deep breath and walked up to Stephanie's house. The curtains moved in the front window, alerting him that Stephanie was home, that she had seen him, and that it was incredibly unlikely that she would be opening the door to him today. Nevertheless, he knocked gently.

"Stephanie?" No sound, but the curtains moved again. He sighed. He deserved this.

"Stephanie? If you can hear me, I – I don't deserve your forgiveness, but I've come to beg for it anyway. I'm so sorry. Everything I said last night was true. I meant all of it. All of it and a million other things that I didn't say and should have." Robbie leaned closer to the door. "It nearly killed me to leave you this morning. I'd give everything to be able to wake up next to you again."

"I love you. I love you like I've loved no one and nothing else. I love you with every bit of my rotten heart and soul. Everything that I am is yours. Please –" The door opened and his heart leapt, but dropped again the instant he saw Stephanie's face. She didn't come outside; she wouldn't even look him in the eye. He never imagined Stephanie was a woman given to weeping and wailing until her eyes were red, and he was right. Instead, she just looked _tired_ , and somehow, that was worse.

"Robbie, please stop," she said quietly. "I just don't think –"

"Wait," he cried out in desperation. "Wait. Before you say anything, before you finish that thought. Let me try to make this up to you. Let me prove that I can be decent."

Stephanie's eyes finally snapped to his, and he practically withered underneath her gaze. "I can't be _bought_ , Robbie. You can't change my mind with _things_."

"No! No, of course not. This is how bad I am at this. Look, just – just one day. Please. One day." He pressed his hands together.

Stephanie sighed and rubbed her temples. After a moment, she muttered, "I must be out of my mind." She looked at him with resignation. To Robbie, she looked like she had just decided to be shot with a gun she had loaded herself. "Fine. When?"

"Monday. Would Monday work? It gives me some time to prepare. And –" He hesitated, but had to say it. "It gives you a day to change your mind. If you want." _Please don't._

She nodded and then turned back into her house. "Good-bye, Robbie." Robbie cringed at the finality of her words, and then turned and stepped off her porch.

"Robbie," Sportacus asked. "Do you have any idea how you are going to begin to make this up to Stephanie?

Robbie began walking away from Stephanie's house with a determined stride. "Actually, if you must know. I have _several_." However, he suddenly stopped mid-step, hunched his shoulders, clenched his fists and grimaced. Then he sighed, "But I could use some help." When no response came, he turned and looked earnestly at the crowd behind him. " _Please_ ," he said, simply.

There was long – very long – awkward pause while everyone seemed to consider his request. Finally Ziggy sighed before marching up to join Robbie, " _Fine_. I mean, it's not as if this day could get any weirder."

oOo

On Sunday, Stephanie tried to maintain as sense of normalcy. She woke up at her normal time, ate her normal breakfast and taught her regularly scheduled dance class, which typically never failed to bring a smile to her face. However by lunchtime, Stephanie could no longer ignore the growing sense of unease that was building in her. So she sat at her kitchen table and called Trixie.

At first Stephanie could hardly hear her, for all the banging and clamoring on the other end of the line. "Is this a bad time?" she asked Trixie.

"No, not at all, but hold on." There was a pause and Trixie must have moved away from the source of the noise because it diminished slightly. "What's up, Steph?"

"Look, I need to be honest and admit that I'm having second thoughts about Robbie's second chance. I'm not sure that this is a good idea."

"Oh." To Stephanie's surprise, Trixie hesitated. "Really? Why?"

"Yeah, I mean…you know, 'Once bitten, twice shy,' and 'Fool me once shame on you, fool me twice, shame on me,' and all that."

"Yeah, I'm familiar with that turn of phrase." Trixie paused. "Look, Stephanie, no one is more surprised than I am at what I'm about to say, but," Trixie sighed heavily. "I think it might be worth your while to see what Robbie has planned for you tomorrow."

Stephanie blinked. "I beg your pardon?"

"Look, I know. What Robbie Rotten did to you was – well, rotten, if you'll forgive the pun. It was terrible and you are completely justified in your anger. And no one – I mean, literally no one including Robbie himself, I think – would blame you if you decided to never forgive him – even if you see what he has planned. But, as your friend, I wish you would trust me when I say that it would be worth your while to see this. Stephanie, I –"

Trixie was cut off as Stephanie heard a shout in the background and then a short wail that ended abruptly.

"Was that Ziggy?" Stephanie asked. "Is he OK?"

"Oh, yeah! No problems, no problems at all. Just a small tumble, he'll be fine. You'll be fine, won't you, love? Anyway, as I was saying Steph –"

"Is that Stephanie?" This time it was Robbie's voice in the background and Stephanie felt her breath catch. "Has she – has she changed her mind?"

There was a sad, anxious desperation in his voice that Stephanie could hear even over Trixie's phone and her heart clenched in sympathy. Trixie stuttered. "Changed her mind? Well, I... I'm not… She hasn't really… Um, Steph?"

"It's OK, Trixie. Tell him I haven't changed my mind. Tell him… tell him I just wanted to know what I should wear tomorrow."

Through Trixie – and with no small amount of relief in his voice, Stephanie noted – Robbie relayed that whatever she was most comfortable wearing would be wonderful. Stephanie hung up and set her phone gently aside. She could not shake her feelings unease and mistrust, but supposed that was the point of this whole exercise. She didn't trust him, and he knew it. She shouldn't trust him, and he knew it. It was up to Robbie to prove differently.

oOo

At a few minutes to nine on Monday morning, Stephanie sat awkwardly on the edge of her sofa. She had decided on a jersey maxi dress in pink, with a light grey chevron stripe, and a matching grey sweater. She had also chosen a comfortable grey ballet flat and to wear her hair down, long over her shoulders, and slightly curled. She felt like she might throw up.

At precisely nine, there was a tentative knock on her front door. Stephanie imagined that he had stood on her front porch waiting to knock until just that exact moment. After a moment's hesitation, she took a deep breath, stood and opened the door.

Robbie was sporting his typical purple and burgundy striped trousers, but had exchanged his usual vest and turtleneck for a matching striped blazer and dark button-down shirt. He held a wide-brimmed boater with a matching striped ribbon in a one hand, and the other hand behind his back. His hair was shiny and black, combed off his face in his usual fashion. "Good morning, Stephanie." He smiled nervously, chewing on his lip. "You look beautiful."

Stephanie blushed and she hated herself for it. "Thank you. You look rather sharp yourself. I feel underdressed."

"No, not at all. Really, you look just wonderful. Here, these are for you." From behind his back, Robbie produced a bouquet of Gerber daisies. They were pink, punctuated occasionally with a purple or blue blossom.

Stephanie gave a small sigh of pleasure as she accepted the bouquet. "They're wonderful. Thank you!" Stephanie looked up into Robbie's eyes and saw his relief. "Would you like to come inside while I put these in some water?"

Robbie waited nervously in her living room, examining her knick-knacks and trying very hard to appear casual. Stephanie gently trimmed the ends of the stems and worked at arranging them in a vase. As she took apart the bouquet, she found the card:

 _ **Because you deserve beautiful things. – R**_

She smiled, pressing the card to her lips and putting the vase on her kitchen table. Walking back out into the living room, Stephanie smiled at Robbie. "Thank you again for the flowers. And for the card. It's very sweet."

Robbie ducked his head. "Well, it's true, of course. And don't worry – I know that you are not to be won over with something as simple as flowers." Finally, he reached out his hand for hers.

Stephanie hesitated, if only for a moment, and then took his hand. "Where are we off to?"

"The town square."

When they arrived, a wooden stage was set-up with two chairs in front of it. Robbie helped her into her seat before disappearing for a moment. When he returned, he took the seat next to her and there was only a slight pause before the music started.

Suddenly, all of Stephanie's dance students filled the stage. Proceeding into a medley of the upbeat, joyful dances that she had taught them, under the direction of Sportacus, Stephanie couldn't contain her excitement. Unconsciously she reached over and clutched at Robbie's shoulder. "Robbie? How?" He didn't reply, merely beamed at her obvious pleasure.

The children danced and sang, and when the performance was over, they rushed off the stage to swarm their teacher. Stephanie did her best to praise them all, hugging every child she could wrap her arms around and kiss every head she reach. Eventually Sportacus led the children away, leaving Stephanie and Robbie alone again with little more than a knowing glance in their direction. Stephanie smiled at Robbie. "That was wonderful. I'm speechless." Robbie handed her a card, identical to the one that had been attached to her flowers:

 _ **Because you deserve happy things. – R**_

She pressed the card to her mouth again, and perhaps she imagined it, but he seemed to blush. She was looking at him measuredly when he broke the silence. "Are you hungry?"

Next was lunch for two in the park, and although she didn't see him, Stingy's signature meticulousness surrounded the table. It was meal filled with her favorites – fresh, colorful fruits and vegetables that must have cost Robbie no small amount of personal dignity to acquire. Robbie Rotten turned out to be a somewhat skilled conversationalist – perhaps no big surprise considering how much time he spent masquerading as other people – but there was a thoughtfulness to his questions that Stephanie wanted to believe was sincere.

"Did you miss LazyTown when you were in college?" he asked, filling her water glass again. Stephanie recognized it as Stingy's signature brand. Robbie then took a bite of grape and had the good grace to suppress a grimace.

"Of course, why do you think I came back? I suppose that's hard to imagine. I know LazyTown isn't your favorite place in the world." Then she pointed her fork at him and smirked, "Although I see you can't quite bring yourself to leave."

"No, I suppose I can't," Robbie lowered his eyes to his plate. "Although it has become a much more interesting place these past few years."

"Well, be that as it may – no matter how flattering that may be – LazyTown is simply where I was meant to be. It's always where I wanted to be. I mean, I was supposed to stay for a summer, and ended up staying forever."

"And I've always been glad of it," Robbie said. "Anyway, I was only asking, because…" He pushed another card across the table at her:

 _ **Because you deserve the finest things in life. – R**_

Stephanie held the card tightly as she looked at Robbie. His eyes were very blue. "Yeah, I'm starting to believe that too."

Lunch was followed by a walk in the park. They were making their way along the path, when suddenly Stephanie stopped. "Wait a minute – do you hear music?"

She looked up, only to see one of Pixel's aerial drones following them at a distance. It was piping out soft orchestral refrains, and Stephanie made an incredulous face. Robbie crinkled his face. "Is it too much?" He asked. "I thought it might be too much, but Pixel said –"

"No, it's great," Stephanie said. Then she held her fingers together, "I mean, it's just about this close to too much, but I love it." She laughed. "I feel a little bit like a bluebird or a singing squirrel is going to cross my path, but that's the charm."

Robbie chuckled. "Well, that's sort of what I was going for…" He slipped another card in her hands.

 _ **Because you deserve a little magic. – R**_

Their walk took them down to the water, where the drone left them and a boat was waiting. They then spent several leisurely hours on the water. The boat had a motor, not oars (curtailing any expectations of Robbie a little bit), but Robbie was rather adept at driving it. After a while, he stopped and anchored the boat, sitting across from Stephanie, his long legs practically tucked up under his chin. Reaching under the seat, he handed Stephanie a book.

"The poetry of Oscar Wilde," Stephanie tapped the cover. "Now, _this_ has Trixie's fingerprints all over it."

"Correct," he said with a smile. "Rather an unconventional choice for a favorite poet."

"Perhaps, but he loved rather unconventionally."

"He did," Robbie looked away for a moment, and suddenly for the first time that day, the ghost of all that was unsaid entered between them. Everything Robbie had done and was trying to undo. Everything he had said and would need to say again. Everything Stephanie had not yet said, and may never say.

She decided to break the silence. "I had a professor in college – the one that introduced me to Oscar Wilde as a matter of fact – that often spoke about her husband in class. At the time, they had been married for nearly thirty years, and were still ridiculously in love. She made no secret of this. But what always struck me is that she never talked about how _much_ he loved her. She always talked about how _well_ he loved her. 'He loves me so well,' she would say. It's always seemed like an important distinction, at least to me."

When she looked at Robbie again, there was a glimmer in his eyes, something bright and shimmering. She held his gaze until it broke naturally, and all ghosts were gone. Finally, Stephanie opened the book and began to read: "The wild bee reels from bough to bough…"

Later, on their way back to shore, Stephanie found the card tucked inside the leaves of the book:

 _ **Because you deserve the silence of love. – R**_

When they returned to shore, dinner was waiting. Another delicious meal with many of Stingy's signature dishes, followed by his famous chocolate and peanut butter cake. Stephanie grinned.

"I happen to know that this is your favorite too," she said.

"Another happy discovery," he countered as he poured wine into her glass. The sun was setting by the time the meal ended, and Stephanie could no longer ignore that Robbie had grown increasing agitated during the meal.

Finally unable to take the suspense, she gently asked, "Are you all right, Robbie?"

He sighed. "Yes, of course. I'm sorry. It's just – There's one more thing. One more thing for you, and I'm particularly anxious about what you'll think. I've been nervous this whole day, of course, but this is especially nerve-wracking."

"Robbie," she reached across the table and gently squeezed his hand. She wanted to reassure him, but suspected anything she might say would come across as condescending, so she opted for silence.

After a moment, they stood from the table together and began a quiet walk back toward town. It was only once they were nearly back at the town square, near an area of new development and real estate; Robbie stopped her with a gentle hand on her shoulder.

"First, take this. It's the last one." This card one read:

 _ **Because I will spend every day trying to deserve you. – R**_

"Robbie," Stephanie breathed. "I –"

"Wait, before you say anything." Robbie took a long, black handkerchief out of his pocket, and then suddenly seemed to doubt himself. "Would you wear this? It's for the surprise, but I understand if you don't want to…" He trailed off, unsure.

Realizing that it wouldn't hurt her to make an effort too, Stephanie turned away from Robbie and pulled her hair off her shoulders. "No, I'll wear it. Go ahead."

Securing the blindfold and holding her hand tightly, Robbie guided her for the last twenty or so feet before pausing. "We're going inside now. Be careful. There's a step here." Gently helping her up, Stephanie moved inside the building.

She smelled fresh paint and varnish, and new wood. Their steps echoed as they walked across the floor. The air felt cool as they walked to what felt like the center of the room. He stopped her gently with a touch to her shoulder. "Will you be all right for a minute while I get the lights?"

She nodded and heard his footsteps hurry quickly away. There was a click, and then he hurried back. "I'm going to take off the blindfold, but would you keep your eyes closed until I say?"

She nodded again. The blindfold came off, and she kept her eyes squeezed shut. She was aware of her heart pounding, and felt unsteady on her feet. She tried to control her breathing for fear of hyperventilating. Robbie drew a shaky breath himself.

"OK," he said. "Open your eyes."

She did, and almost immediately had to grab hold of Robbie to keep from falling over. The room was a square, with brightly polished floors. Two walls were lined with mirrors and horizontal bars. The third wall was all window, looking out on a magnificent view of the town square at sunset. Behind her there were benches with hooks and boxes for storage. There was even a desk, complete with a computer and a brass plate that bore her name: Miss Stephanie. The room began to spin.

"Robbie," she gasped. "It's… It's…"

"It's yours," he grabbed her hands. "It's your studio. The one you wanted. Or at least something like it, I hope. You could teach bigger classes here, and more of them. Or different kinds. I don't know how these things work. Are there different kinds of yoga?" Stephanie was unable to catch a breath, and therefore unable to speak. Robbie interpreted her silence anxiously and began to ramble. "Everyone helped, of course. Sportacus did most of the heavy lifting, naturally. And Ziggy fell off a ladder installing a ceiling fan, but Trixie assures me he's going to be fine, and maybe you'll want to choose a different paint color for the walls, which I'd be happy to help with and –"

"Robbie!" Stephanie finally managed. "Could we sit down? I feel a little dizzy."

"Oh! Oh, yes – I'm so sorry. Of course." He immediately helped her to a bench. He sat next to her while Stephanie's head dropped into hands and she struggled to take several deep breaths.

"Robbie, it's too much. I can't accept this. I –"

"Yes, you can. You can and you should. This is your studio, no matter – no matter what you decide about us. Even if I've broken things irreparably. It's what you deserve, Stephanie." She had no response to that, so they sat quietly on the bench for a while and he described the features that he had installed in the studio. Once she had calmed, he guided her over to the desk and had her sit in front of the computer.

"I'm particularly proud of this feature, if I do say so myself. Using this program, you can search for any song, on any music service anywhere, but that's not all –" Robbie leaned over her shoulder as he typed, showing her the system, and Stephanie supposed she should have been listening, but she was staring at him instead. It couldn't be helped. The curve of his jaw and the sheen of his black hair, the way he chuckled when he was particularly pleased with himself and the way his eyes sparkled when music began to play over the studio speakers.

"So, you see that you can run really the whole studio on just this system and –" Stephanie grabbed his face gently and kissed him. He gave a small sound of surprise before he seemed to _melt_ into her mouth. He tasted sweet and warm. He tried to lean down and get closer to her, but the angle was awkward and eventually they had to part. He pulled away reluctantly. His eyes were wide with innocent disbelief that only made her want to kiss him again. "Stephanie," he breathed.

Stephanie swallowed, and then smiled. "Any song, you say? By typing here?" Following his instructions, she typed until she found what she was looking for. Then she stood, stepping out of her shoes and shrugging out of her sweater, before hitting play.

She was in the center of the dance floor before the first notes began and she very keenly felt Robbie's eyes on her. And then the song started.

By all definitions, Stephanie was not a _great_ dancer. She was certainly a _good_ one, even a _talented_ one, but perhaps the better definition was that she was an _earnest_ dancer. And that was what she tried to be, as she used dance to speak to Robbie, to tell him the things that she could not put into words. Every step, spin, twirl and leap were words, and she wanted him to know how sincerely she meant them. She would still say them of course. A man who had lived as Robbie had on a pauper's diet of love and affection deserved to hear them, and often. But this was how Stephanie spoke best and most fluently. She hoped he would understand them.

The final notes of the song faded away and Stephanie looked at Robbie. She had never seen such a naked expression on another person's face. "You're wonderful," he blurted out, as if he couldn't stop himself. He cringed a little at what he must have thought was a graceless response, but decided to carry on. "You're wonderful, Stephanie. I love you and you're wonderful and you deserve all the wonderful things in life. That's what today was about."

He approached her on the dance floor, slowly, as if afraid to frighten her off. "I'm not a wonderful thing, Stephanie. But I can be, for you. I will try every day of my life to be wonderful for you. To make life wonderful for you. You deserve better than me, Stephanie, but I swear I will love you with everything that I am. It's not –"

"Robbie," Stephanie gently interrupted him, taking his hand in her own. She cupped his palms together and then gently kissed them. He shivered. She wished for a lifetime of such reactions. "You're wrong. You are wonderful." She looked up into his eyes and _please, please could she get lost in those forever? Those eyes that were so blue, and looked at her with such joy and love and like she was the only woman that had ever been created._

"Take me home, Robbie Rotten," she said. "Take me to your home."

oOo

It was not the most graceful entrance Stephanie had ever made into another person's home, especially given that seduction was on her mind. And that was including the time in college when Stephanie had a two month dalliance with a pair of aspiring twin acrobats who considered everything to be a chance to show off their skills (and now that she's thinking about it that's probably a story she will share with Robbie at half past never o'clock). Nevertheless, Stephanie slid down the entrance chute, bounced off the mat at the bottom and landed right in Robbie's arms.

He kissed her as if he were suffocating and she were the only source of air. He kissed her as if he were trying to consume her, as if she were life, as if he would die if she walked away from him.

"Bed," she gasped, pulling away from his lips ever so slightly before being pressed into another all-encompassing kiss.

"What?" Robbie's eyes were glazed, like he only understood there bare minimum of what she was saying.

"Bed. A. Bed. Robbie." She smiled as he shook his head trying to come back to himself. "Do you own a bed where I can have my way with you?"

This, he seemed to understand. "Yes, a bed. I do own a bed." He looked around desperately as if he could no longer remember how to navigate his own home. Finally, looking at her urgently, he said, "Forgive me," and swung Stephanie up and on to his shoulder.

"Robbie!" She protested feebly, rather enjoying the feeling of his shoulders as he carried her down the hall.

"I'm rather surprised I'm able to do that," he gritted through his teeth. "But I'm very motivated at the moment, I admit."

After a minute, she found herself in a rather Spartan bedroom, lowered gently onto an equally frugal bed, equipped with only clean, white sheets. She reached out and pulled Robbie down to her. She quickly pushed his jacket off of his shoulders, and started working on the buttons of his shirt. Soon, he was naked from the waist up and she took a moment to run her fingers over the lines of his chest. He was far from muscular, but his leanness was pleasing and she couldn't resist pressing her face to his chest and running her tongue between his pectorals. Robbie groaned.

Stephanie shrugged quickly out of her sweater and started to work on the straps of her dress when he stopped her.

"Wait," he said. "Just one thing." Reaching into bedside table, he rummaged in a drawer. After a moment, he drew out a black leather collar, studded with metal points and metal ring in the center, designed to nestle just above someone's throat. Stephanie immediately shrank away, moving up the bed and looking anxiously at Robbie – all of her uncertainties roaring back to life.

"Robbie, I'm not that kind of woman."

"No, no!" He said, crouching in front of the bed. "It's not for you. It's for me."

"Robbie," she repeated. "I'm not that kind of woman."

He crinkled his face in frustration. "No, it's not… it's not about… I don't know…"

Stephanie watched him struggled to find the right words when realization suddenly dawned on her. Up to until this moment, this day had been about appreciation, and devotion, and understanding. But this was about trust. He was explicitly giving her power over him. She would do her best not to abuse it.

"Robbie," she held her hand out gently. "I understand. I give it to me."

With relief, he handed over the collar and looked at her expectantly. She adjusted herself so that she sat on the edge of the bed. "Stand up," she said. "Take off your clothes. What's left of them."

Eagerly, he rose to his feet and stepped slightly away from the bed. He toed off his shoes and kicked them to the side. Then he unbuttoned his trousers. They slide down his thighs, along with any undergarments he might have been wearing, and then he was bare before her. He looked at her anxiously, already hard and obviously vulnerable about his nakedness, and she licked her lips in appreciation.

"On your knees. In front of me, please." Robbie readily complied, bowing his head slightly. Stephanie reached behind his head and gently stroked the hair at the nape of his neck for a moment, waiting for him to relax. It wasn't until she felt the tension slide out of his muscles that she took the collar, wrapped it gently around his neck and buckled it in the back. She slid two fingers underneath it to make sure that it wasn't too tight, and then she leaned back.

"There, you look beautiful," she said. "Now, what would you like?"

Robbie looked up at her with wide, blue eyes. Reaching out, waiting to gauge her reaction, he slowly slid his hands up her legs and under her dress. Seeing her approval, he leaned in and buried his face in her clothed lap, inhaling deeply. After a moment, he looked up and her, "Please," he said. "Let me serve you."

oOo

Stephanie awoke later that night, alone in the bed and with a sense of déjà vu and dread. It wasn't until she saw the note on the pillow next to her that the expletives died on her tongue:

 _ **My love, if you wake before I get back, I'm in the living room if you want to join me. I've left a robe if you'd like something to wear (you don't have to wear it). – R**_

Stephanie smirked and put the robe on. It was in Robbie's signature color and stripe pattern, with overly large lapels. It was at least two sizes too big for her and she had to gather it up around her legs just so that she didn't trip. Following the light, she navigated in the corridors until she found the living room. Robbie had his back to room and closely examining something in his hands. He was still naked, save for the collar and a pair of striped boxer shorts, and Stephanie took a moment to admire how they sat on his hips, and the lines of his back.

"Robbie, are you all right?" He turned at the sound of her voice and smiled broadly.

"Of course I'm all right, love." He chuckled lightly. "Better than I've ever been in my entire life, in fact." He looked up at Stephanie and his eyes were light. "You're still here. I can still smell you on my skin. I can still…taste you…in my mouth. What could possibly be wrong?'

Stephanie blushed straight to the roots of her hair and closed her eyes in embarrassment. "You have to stop saying things like that or there won't be any blood left for my brain."

Robbie laughed again. "No, really. I'm fine. I was just thinking." He looked down at his hands, which were cupped tightly around something. "I told a lie earlier, at dinner. The studio wasn't the last thing. There was one more gift. One more thing for you."

Stephanie shook her head. "Robbie, no. Absolutely not. Nothing more is needed, nothing more is necessary."

It was Robbie's turn to shake his head. "It will always be needed, it will always be necessary. Either way, I had second thoughts. I worried that this might be a little too much. Too soon. I thought it might be inappropriate."

"Robbie, you _built me a studio_. I'm terrified what you might think is 'a little too much' compared to that."

Robbie shook his head, and turned towards her, keeping his hands closed around the item that he held. "I've decided that I have to give it to you, but I want to be clear that there is no obligation. You don't have to accept it at all. Or you can tell me that you want it later, at some point in the future." He looked down at his clasped hands. "Or you _might_ want it now," he said quietly.

Stephanie may have been riding high on a cloud of endorphins and the rush of new, exciting love, but she was still alert enough to suspect what was coming. She tensed, "Robbie –"

"Wait, please. Just let me – just let me say this." He closed the few steps that remained between them. "Most men get down on one knee to do this, don't they? I've always found that odd. They look like they're poised to run off at any moment. I've never been much of a runner myself, so –" Suddenly, Robbie dropped to both knees in front of her. He opened the box and thrust it in front of her. "Stephanie Meanswell, will you be my wife?"

For a moment, Stephanie thought she had gone blind. In her panic, she couldn't see anything except Robbie. She had eyes for nothing else. Not the room around them, not the ring in his hand. All she could think was that this was not how she had imagined this moment in her life – if she had ever spent any time imagining it at all. Was this really the time or the place? Should she even be entertaining a marriage proposal after the last few days that they had spent together? _Shouldn't she be wearing clothes?_

"Robbie," she started gently, honestly unsure of how she was going to finish. Then her vision cleared a little. And she _saw_ Robbie, arm tensely outstretched, jaw clenched and eyes closed in order to deflect the rejection he so obviously expected. It reminded her so clearly of the most recent Friday night in Stingy's pub that she was momentarily floored. It was not the way she had imagined a proposal, but she knew in that instant that she would never receive a more sincere one in all her days. Stephanie knew her answer.

"Robbie, yes," she said. "Yes, I will be your wife. I love you."

It seemed to take a moment for Robbie to hear her, but then his eyes snapped open. "Yes? You love me?" He couldn't even try to hide his shock.

Stephanie smiled. "That is what you wanted me to say, right?"

"Yes! Yes, of course! Of course. She loves me. _She loves me,_ " he seemed unable to do anything else except repeat himself as he pulled the ring out of the box and slipped it on her finger. Then he pulled her to him and kissed her as if he were trying to sear this moment into his memory. Stephanie realized that time would do little to mitigate the feeling of being consumed by him when he kissed her, and she was glad of it.

After several long moments, he finally pulled back to look her in the face and realized that she had a finger linked in the metal ring on the front of his collar. She smiled and led him to the fluffy orange chair that had such prominence in his living room. When they stood in front of it, she let go of the loop. She undid the robe and let it slide from her shoulders. Robbie stared hungrily at her naked body. "Sit," she told him simply.

Robbie obeyed.

oOo

The next morning, they were awoken in bed by the sound of Stephanie's cell phone ringing.

"What is that awful noise and why am I listening to it at this unseemly hour?" Robbie groaned, pulling a pillow over his head.

"I'm sorry. I forgot to turn it off last night." Stephanie reached over his body to pull the phone out of the pocket of her dress, which still lay on the floor.

"Oh, I suppose I'm going to have to get used to these early mornings now, aren't I?" Robbie said with a hint of a smile in his voice.

"I'll make it worth your while," Stephanie said and smiled as Robbie's eyebrow raised provocatively. She looked at her phone and groaned. "It's Uncle Milford," she sighed. "He's just going to keep calling unless I answer." Robbie hummed in agreement.

"Hello, Uncle… Yes, we had a lovely day… yes, I supposed you _could_ say that all is forgiven… yes, I would say that… well, I would say that because Robbie asked me to marry him… well, I said yes…"

There was a loud burst of excited shouting from the other end of the phone and Stephanie had to hold it away from her ear temporarily. Once the shouting had quieted, she held it back to her ear. "Yes, Uncle... we're excited too, but could you do us a favor and not say anything to Ms. Busybody because…"

Another burst of excited shouting, this time in a slightly more feminine tone, told Stephanie that she had made her request just slightly too late and she turned off her phone with a sigh. "I'm sorry. Ms. Busybody knows. I'll give it thirty minutes before there is an announcement in the newspaper."

"Twenty," Robbie said. He reached out and wrapped his arm around her waist. "No matter. They'll save me the effort of standing on a rooftop and doing it myself. Actually, I may do it anyway."

Stephanie smacked him gently on the arm. Then she thoughtfully linked a finger through the loop on his collar. "I suppose you'll have to take this off soon. You can't wear it all the time."

"I could. I would," he said quickly and absolutely sincere. "I wear turtlenecks most of the time. No one would know."

She seemed to consider it and then, "No. I'd rather you only wear it when we're alone. It's something between the two of us."

He kissed her palm. "As you wish."

Stephanie rolled onto her back and stared thoughtfully at the ceiling. "What a weird couple of days this has been."

Robbie rolled closer to her and tucked his head under her chin. "Well, it's a weird town."

After a moment's consideration, Stephanie nodded in agreement, " _Such_ a weird town."


End file.
